State to fix concerns at veterans home

Federal investigation identified 35 deficiencies.

Federal investigation identified 35 deficiencies.

August 11, 2006

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- Most of the 35 deficiencies identified in a recent federal investigation of the Indiana Veterans Home, including problems with food and resident-staff communication, will be corrected by Aug. 23, an assistant state health commissioner said this week. Assistant Commissioner Lance Rhodes also defended the superintendent of the state-run home, Robert Hawkins, whose resignation has been called for in a petition signed by about a quarter of the home's 281 residents. "We've been so preoccupied the last month to get this plan of correction that we really have not looked at any personnel issues," Rhodes said. "As of right now, that dialogue about a dismissal or a resignation has not taken place." The petition demanding Hawkins' resignation, signed by about 70 residents, began circulating in June amid mounting complaints about the quality of life for the residents, who are wartime veterans of the U.S. armed services and their spouses and widows. The Indiana Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs subsequently opened investigations into the complaints. The VA investigation found 35 deficiencies including cold food, a failure to install security cameras, and miscommunication between residents and the home's staff. About half of the problems found by the VA have been corrected, said Joe Fox, director of special institutions for the health department, and most of those remaining will be corrected by Aug. 23 under the plan of correction agreed to by the federal agency. Correcting a few of the deficiencies, including the installation of video cameras, will take more time because of the need to bring in outside contractors, Fox said. Rhodes said the health department takes seriously the residents' concerns, including the call for Hawkins' resignation, but said the superintendent also had supporters among the residents. Hawkins has no control over some of the issues the residents have complained about, Rhodes said. Hawkins' office declined to comment, referring questions to the health department. R. David Morehouse, a resident who has been circulating the petition, said he believes the call for Hawkins' resignation has been ignored. While resolving the deficiencies will make life a lot easier at the veterans home, it won't be enough to make many residents happy, Morehouse said. Morehouse alleges that Hawkins blames other employees for problems, lets portions of the facility fall into disrepair and creates a difficult atmosphere for people to live and work in. "We just feel like this man just can't lead us anymore," Morehouse said. Resident David Graham agreed with Morehouse. "You can't blast him out of his ... office," he said of Hawkins.